Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

Culture of origin: Jewish · Cultural

Holiday sources: Iran · Israel · Judaism

Shemini Atzeret, the "eighth day of assembly", falls on 22 Tishrei, right after the seven days of Sukkot, and is a holy day in its own right. Simchat Torah, "rejoicing of the Torah", marks the end of the yearly cycle of Torah readings and the start of the next: the scrolls are carried around the synagogue in seven circuits with singing and dancing. In Israel both are kept on one day; in the diaspora Simchat Torah is the second day.